Experimental Validation of Icing Rate Using Rotational Load Umair N. Mughal 1a , Muhammad S. Virk 1 , Kenji Kosugi 2 and Shigeto Mochizuki 2 1 Arctic Technology Research Group, Department of Industrial Engineering, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Narvik-8505, Norway 2 Cryospheric Environment Laboratory, Snow and Ice Research Center, NIED, Shinjo 996-0091, Japan Correspondence Email: a umair.n.mughal@uit.no Abstract Icing load and icing rate are necessary feedback variables for an intelligent anti/de-icing system to work effectively in harsh cold environment of high north. These parameters may be measured by axial loadings or by rotational loadings, as a function of current demand. However the former may not necessarily be dynamic, whereas the later necessarily be rotational. Sufficiently at a fixed rpm, a mathematical model between additional polar moment of inertia vs electrical demand of the sensor can be established to analytically shape the icing load and icing rate adequately as hypothesized in Cost 727. This paper aims to develop such model and is validated using experimental data from a case study conducted by Atmospheric Icing Research Team of Narvik University College at Cryospheric Environmental Simulator, Snow and Ice Research Center, (NIED) Japan. Keywords: Atmospheric Ice, Rotational Loading; Icing Sensor; Validation; Calibration; Cryospheric Environmental Simulator 1 Introduction Generally atmospheric icing is considered as a potential hazard for structures particularly in polar domains. Icing is often accepted as an inconvenience, but that tolerance can rapidly become a safety hazard that may require solutions [1]. To reduce the effects of atmospheric ice accretion, necessary design modifications coupled with selective anti/de-icing system is required for these structures/platforms. An efficient anti/de icing system is some how dependent upon the information from the atmospheric icing sensors and works on the principle to optimize the energy demand based upon the feedback related with accreted icing load, icing rate and preferably ice type information from the icing sensor. Therefore the most important variables for an icing sensor are icing load and icing rate. Today there are few available solutions/sensors that can measure icing load and icing rate, such as IceMonitor TM by Combitech [2], Sweden and IceMeter TM by IAP, Czech Republic [3] which work using load cells. Both of these sensors use axial load physics to measure the required parameters. Also Holo- Optics icing rate sensor [4] uses near infrared electromagnetic band absorption scheme to distinguish between different types of ice whereas Rosemount icing sensor uses ultrasonic probe based upon magnetostrictive technology to measure icing rate. One possible drawback with most of these sensors is the non-symmetric distribution of the ice load around the sensor as due to free rotation, ice deposit on the windward side and hence the wind loads on icing sensor generally effect the resultant icing load measurements. Also there are some recommended changes in icemeter as mentioned in [5], i. Possibility to build an instrument with a rotating collector. ii. More focus on the sensors that measure accumulated icing. These recommendations are based upon a hypothesis without any analytical or experimental validation. Keeping in view the limitations of available sensors in the market, a prototype atmospheric icing sensor as been developed by Atmospheric Icing Research Team. This sensor utilizes rotational load measurement physics for measuring icing load and icing rate together with capacitive loading to detect an atmospheric icing event, icing type and melting rate. In this paper, an analytical relationship between a motor's load (at fixed rpm) and current is aimed to be developed in order to analytically and experimentally support the hypothesis during the research expedition at Cryospheric Environmental Simulator, Shinjo, Japan. This sensor utilizes constantly slowly rotation for two purposes, i. To measure icing load and icing rate using rotational physics ii. To provide uniform deposition of atmospheric ice on the capacitive plates